


It's Ancient History

by m_s_b



Series: 30 Day Summer Challenge [4]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: 2000AU, Gen, Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-24
Updated: 2014-07-24
Packaged: 2018-02-10 07:02:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2015544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/m_s_b/pseuds/m_s_b
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They say time heals, but it doesn't seem to apply to mental wounds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Ancient History

**Author's Note:**

> 2000AU drabble; prompt: souvenirs

Carrying two mugs of tea, Sebastian stopped by the couch and looked down: Jim was still in his pyjamas, sprawled on the couch and surfing through channels. He pretended he didn’t see him. Seb sighed; this wasn’t going to be easy.

_Could you move a bit?_ He asked, trying not to sound accusing. Jim was in one of his ‘weird’ moods and it was better not to irritate him too much.

‘Nope,’ James didn’t even look at him, his eyes still fixed on the TV screen.

_Okay,_ Seb sighed. He put the mugs on the coffee table, delicately pushed Jim’s lanky legs from the couch and sat down, pretending he didn’t notice the angry glare Jim threw at him. With an annoyed huff, James put his legs back on the couch, so his knees were rested on his friend’s lap. Sebastian rolled his eyes; at least he was allowed to stay.

_I made you tea,_ he informed Jim as he took his mug from the coffee table. The other man threw a quick glance at him before turning back to the telly.

‘I don’t want tea,’ he mumbled, folding his arms on his chest.

_Fine,_ Seb took a sip of his tea. They sat in the silence, interrupted by the clicking of the remote control. Sebastian put his mug away and rested his hands on Jim’s bare knees. It was unusual for James to wear a pair of Seb’s old shorts instead of his pyjama bottoms, but ‘usual’ didn’t really apply to Jim, did it?

Absentmindedly, Seb stroked the skin on Jim’s knee with his thumb; it was cold and smooth and… Frowning, he looked down. There was a thin, long scar running alongside James’ right knee. Sebastian brushed his fingers against the scar.

_I don’t remember it,_ he murmured.

Slightly surprised, Jim looked at Seb and then at his friend’s hands resting on his knees.

‘Oh,’ he huffed, ‘you don’t remember? It’s a souvenir from our trip to Egypt,’ he said dryly.

Sebastian arched his eyebrow. He knew that Jim didn’t really like their fortnight in Egypt - he made it quite clear, stating it was the worst two weeks in his life - but to Seb it seemed as if he and Jim were on two completely different trips. Well, James always had a flair for the dramatics.

_I don’t remember anything like this_ , Sebastian pointed at the scar, _happening in Egypt. And I don’t understand why you hate it so much. There’s-_

‘-hot and there are people _everywhere,’_ James spat, ‘Tourists, locals. The markets there are so crowded that you can barely navigate through them.’

_Yes, but-_

‘And you know how I feel about being pushed and touched by strangers.’

_I do, Jim, but what does it have to do with this?_

‘Everything!’ Annoyed, Jim threw his hands in the air. He huffed and looked at Seb. ‘You really don’t remember, do you?’

Sebastian shook his head.

_Sorry, Jim,_ he scratched the back of his head.

James let out a heavy sigh.

‘I tripped and fell down when we were hiking in Sinai. The weather was unbearable that day and there were people and camels and...’ he stopped for a moment, ‘You took care of my knee and carried me on your back for the rest of the day. You really don’t remember that?’

_Well, I do remember it,_ Seb nodded, _I just remember it a bit… differently?_

James pursed his lips.

‘Now you know how I remember it. Anyway, that was the last time I went to Egypt. Everything I had to know about Ancient Egyptians I can find here,’ he turned on some history channel, ‘And all that without even leaving my living room.’

Seb smiled to himself. A flair for the dramatics _and_ overreaction.

_You know_ , he patted Jim’s knees, _maybe you should give a poor old Egypt one more chance? Swap old memories with new, better ones?_

‘Haha. No. Way. Seb.’

_No, but I’m serious, Jim. We can go there one more time and-_

A pillow hit him in the face, knocking off his glasses. Jim’s aim was getting more and more accurate.

‘I said no.’


End file.
